Policies

Cherry Willingham Parish Council

Heading Sheet for Policies and Procedures

CHERRY WILLINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Laburnum Drive Playing Field Regular Use Policy

This policy relates to the use of the land known as Laburnum Drive Playing Field by regular scheduled users and tenants.  For other uses, including one-off events, and for general restrictions that apply to all Parish Council owned land, please see CWPC Open Space Policy.

The regular scheduled users are:

• Cherry Willingham Cricket Club

Cherry Willingham Cricket Club form the Cherry Willingham Sports Association in matters relating to the Sports Pavilion.

The tenants are:

• Cherry Willingham Bowls Club

1. Ownership

1.1    Cherry Willingham Parish Council owns all the land known as Laburnum Drive Playing Field, as 

indicated on the accompanying map, and all the “fixtures and fittings” contained therein, (including, but not limited to: signs, benches, seats, bins, netting, fencing, gates, play equipment and safety surfaces) apart from those stated below.

1.2    Cherry Willingham Bowls Club owns all the structures sited within the boundary of the area 

used by the Bowls Club (see accompanying map).

1.3    Cherry Willingham Cricket Club owns the scoreboard hut.

1.4    Cherry Willingham Sports Association own the Sports Pavilion and associated paving and the 

brick store area behind.

2. Rights

2.1    Cherry Willingham Bowls Club has exclusive use of the area known as the Bowls Club (see 

accompanying map).

2.2    Cherry Willingham Cricket Club has exclusive use of the Cricket Square.  If any other 

organisation wishes to hire the use of the Cricket Square, this will first have to be agreed by the 

Parish Council with Cherry Willingham Cricket Club.

2.3     The football pitch may be hired out to other users, as long as the hiring does not conflict with 

anything scheduled for use as agreed with the Clerk to the Parish Council each season.

2.4    The general public has access to all areas of the Laburnum Drive Playing Field except for the 

buildings, the compound beside the Sports Pavilion and the Bowls Club area.

2.5    All the above rights are necessarily subject to any restrictions imposed by the National or Local 

Government and the Governing Bodies of the appropriate sport.

3.    Responsibilities and duties

3.1    All users and tenants must provide their own insurance as their activities will not be covered by 

the Parish Council’s insurance.

3.2    Cherry Willingham Bowls Club is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all the facilities 

within and including the boundary hedge around the Bowls Club area, apart from those that relate to the supply of water and electricity to the site.

3.3    Cherry Willingham Bowls Club agrees to allow access to the Bowls Club area should that be 

required by the Parish Council.

3.4    Cherry Willingham Cricket Club is responsible for all aspects of the maintenance and upkeep of 

the Cricket Square.

3.5    Cherry Willingham Cricket Club is responsible for marking out the boundary lines as required by 

the club.

3.6    Cherry Willingham Cricket Club is responsible for maintaining the scoreboard hut in a in a safe 

condition, acceptable to the parish council.

3.7    Cherry Willingham Football Club is responsible for providing and erecting the goalposts as 

required by the club, alternating their position each year to reduce wear and tear on the grass.

3.9    Cherry Willingham Football Club is responsible for marking out the lines of the football pitch as 

required by the club.

3.10    Cherry Willingham Football Club is responsible for sowing grass seed at the end of each 

football season in order to reinstate any grass areas that have become worn as a result of their 

matches. This will be agreed annually with the Parish Council and, if agreed, the grass seed will be provided by the Parish Council.

3.11    Cherry Willingham Sports Association is responsible for maintaining the Sports Pavilion and 

associated paving and the brick store area behind in a in a safe condition, acceptable to the 

parish council.

3.12    Cherry Willingham Parish Council is responsible for maintaining the grass in all areas apart from 

the Bowls Club area and the Cricket Square, so that it is in a condition appropriate to the use 

required by the clubs and the general public.  This includes regular cutting with rolling and weed killing as required.

3.13    Cherry Willingham Parish Council is responsible for the maintenance of all trees on the 

Laburnum Drive Playing Field.

3.14    Cherry Willingham Parish Council is responsible for ensuring the safe supply of water and 

electricity to the Sports Club Pavilion and the Bowls Club Pavilion.

3.15    The CW Sports Association and the Bowls Club are responsible for the maintenance and 

upkeep of drains from their properties to the main drain outfall

4    Payments

4.1    As tenants Cherry Willingham Bowls Club agrees to pay an annual rent to Cherry Willingham 

Parish Council.  At the Leisure & Amenities Committee meeting to be held in March each year, a decision will be made to increase the annual rent by either the rate of inflation as it stands at the time of that meeting, or a minimum of £5, whichever is the greater, unless otherwise decided by Cherry Willingham Parish Council.  

4.2    As scheduled regular users Cherry Willingham Cricket Club, Cherry Willingham Football Club 

and Cherry Colts Football Club all agree to pay an annual user’s fee. At the Leisure & Amenities Committee meeting to be held in March each year, a decision will be made to increase the annual user’s fee by either the rate of inflation as it stands at the time of that meeting, or a minimum of £5, whichever is the greater, unless otherwise decided by Cherry Willingham Parish Council

4.3    The annual user’s fee will also be charged to any future scheduled regular users.

4.4    Cherry Willingham Bowls Club and Cherry Willingham Sports Association are responsible 

between them for paying for the supply of water to their buildings.  Upon receiving the annual statement from Anglian Water, the Parish Council will inform the organisations and take receipt of the monies from the aforementioned organisations before paying the bill on their behalf.

5. Failure to Pay: YOU MUST PAY BEFORE YOU PLAY

5.1    The annual fees for users/renters must be paid within 6 weeks of the invoice date.  Invoices for the bowls, cricket and football clubs will be issued 2 months before each club’s first fixture begins.  If payment has not been received by the 4-week date, a 2nd letter will be issued by the parish clerk.  In the event that payment is not received by the 6-week date, the Parish Council reserves the right to immediately terminate any agreement; without prejudice or any right or remedy which the council may have against the user/renter; and the club’s right to use the pitch/playing field will be terminated with immediate effect. 

6: Cancellation Clause

6.1    If any club does not complete a full year then the fees are non-refundable

7:  Failure to Comply

7.1:   The Parish Council reserves the right to immediately terminate any user/renter agreement in the event of the bowls, cricket or football clubs failing either to observe or comply with any of the conditions or regulations herein contained, but without prejudice to any right or remedy which the council may have against the user/renter. Under these conditions and regulations, the Parish Council may retain the user fees/rents paid by the user/renter.